


Fragile Seams

by DrBitchToYou (captain_pihkal)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Mission, Stephen Strange Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Writing Exercise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-12-29 23:54:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18304091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captain_pihkal/pseuds/DrBitchToYou
Summary: Tony takes charge of Stephen's medical care after a mission takes its toll on him.





	Fragile Seams

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written anything in years. I'm just trying to get back into it, so please be kind.

“I wish I’d known you then..”, Tony trailed off, carefully tracing his fingertips over the tidy edges of Stephen’s bandages.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong, I knew of you.” He recalled, laying Stephen’s hand back down on the breakfast isle between them.

“I think I remember.” Stephen was still a little hazy, Tony could tell by the way he was squinting as if the light was too much to process on top of paying attention to Tony. His hair was still damp from the shower Tony had helped him take, hands hopefully still numb from the cream Tony had applied to them before wrapping them up. “I think I turned Rhodey’s case away just before this.” Stephen added, vaguely wondering if there was something he could do for Rhodey now. The thought was gone again before he could really grasp onto it, his head was pounding.

“If I’d known about this I would have funded your rehabilitation.” Tony said, holding Stephen’s bandaged hand idly, glad the wounds weren’t bleeding through the bandages.

Stephen snorted quietly. “I might have been desperate enough to allow it.”

They fell silent, both knowing that if it had happened this way Stephen would have made a lackluster recovery at best and, more importantly, he’d never have found his path in the world.

“Does this happen a lot?” Tony asked. “Do they just..” He made a vague gesture, indicating something bursting open. As close as they’d grown over the past months, they hadn’t fought a great many battles together over the past months. It was like the supernatural and alien things that usually threatened earth were giving them time to recover.

“Only when I really exert myself.” Stephen explained. He’d known it was stupid before he’d executed his little maneuvre. It had been risky, but it had put a fast end to the conflict and avoided a lot of additional property damage throughout the city. “As energy leaves the body, the weakest seams come apart first. That’s always the latest injuries.. then my hands.. my knees.. god my knees.” He groaned at the mere though of his aching joints.

“Is that what all that levitation is about?” Tony asked, smiling in fond amusement.

“That, and the superior aesthetics.” Stephen admitted. “Especially with the cloak. People tend to listen to a flying wizard when he gives orders.” He smiled at Tony, and was met with a fond smile in return. “You’re not half bad at stitches, you know.”

“Now you say that? After you spent ten minutes bitching at me while I was doing it?” Tony asked, but there was no heat behind his words. “Believe it or not, you’re not the only member of my team who likes to skip medical.” He got up and pulled a water bottle from the fridge.

“I’m not though..” Stephen said and Tony looked at him confused. “On your team, I mean.”

Tony looked unimpressed and put the uncapped bottle down in front of Stephen. “You keep telling yourself that.” He smiled. “You’ll be stitching a pocket for my communicator into that cloak of yours before you know it.” He warned. The cloak raised its collar from where it was resting on Tony’s sofa, clearly having taken offense to the notion of someone taking a needle to it.

Stephen looked amused, taking great care to not move his hands too much while he drank some water. When he sat the bottle down, his eyelids threatened to fall shut on him and Tony took pity on him.

“Let’s go to bed, okay? The day’s been long enough.” He decided, walking around the kitchen isle and wrapping an arm around Stephen’s middle. “How long does it usually take for this sort of damage to heal back up?” He asked on the way to the bedroom.

Stephen let Tony sit him down on the edge of the bed and looked at his hands contemplatively. “Should be okay in a couple of days.. just need to be careful.”

Tony was relieved to hear it. He stroked Stephen’s hair, coaxing him to lay down before climbing into the bed right behind him and pulling the blankets up to their shoulders. He nuzzled in close. “Alright then. You rest. And I’ll deal with everything else.” He promised, receiving only a sleepy mumble in return. He looked at Stephen's sleeping face fondly, laying his head down and closing his eyes as well.

They were both asleep by the time the cloak draped itself on top of their covers.


End file.
